We want to increase the number of people who enjoy an era without single right answers. Hosting the "IKIGAI Expo" where each individual's wellspring of purpose flows!

The Japan IKIGAI Design Association (Headquarters: Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Representative Director: Toshikazu Kumakura) and IKIGAI WORKS Inc. (Headquarters: Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, Representative Director: Toshikazu Kumakura) are actively working with the passion of "creating a society where everyone can find purpose in work and 'IKIGAI' in life."

Last year's dream, "Realizing a society where 94% of Japanese people awaken to IKIGAI (https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000012.000087089.html)," has transformed into a definite fervor over the past year.

This year, we declare that we will go beyond our existing community to create a major movement involving all of Japan through industry-academia collaboration, inspiration from art, book publishing, and the "IKIGAI Expo."

When we stopped providing 'right answers,' interesting chemical reactions began to occur.

Over the past year, we deliberately strived to create spaces where we "don't teach the right answers" and encourage people to "shed their armor." And what happened? An energy beyond imagination exploded across generations and positions.

"Ethical Expo" touched by the passion of Gen Z

At the "Ethical Expo" event hosted by the ETHICAL EXPO JAPAN Association, through a dialogue with Mr. Yamamoto, President of Adventure World, young people deeply resonated with the essence that "if you're not happy, you can't make anyone else happy."

"Kachizo Seminar" where job seekers and working adults spoke honestly

This is the fifth year of our participation in the "Kachizo Seminar," an industry-academia collaboration project hosted by the Sobakuri Lab Association, where Professor Yokoyama of Kansai University serves as a director. Last year, we challenged this with students from Kyoto Sangyo University's Moriguchi Seminar, creating a significant chemical reaction by presenting an initiative where job search anxieties and the honest feelings of working adults intersected on the "IKIGAImandala™."

Two distinct communities launched! "Kumalabo" for adults to shed their titles and play, and "IKIGAI Partner" as a third place for corporations.

To think together and practice together about "IKIGAI." A place where managers and company employees can shed their armor and speak honestly as "just themselves." There, a warm circle of "co-creation" is born, not competition.

Establishment of the "Japan IKIGAI Design Association"

To gently maintain this "hot spring where everyone can return to themselves" in society, the Japan IKIGAI Design Association was established as a foundation to protect this philosophy. We aim to expand "IKIGAI" in a broader sense throughout society.

Our next dream is the "IKIGAI Expo," an extraordinary festival involving all of Japan!

"IKIGAI" is not something you search for far away; it's something you naturally remember if you have a safe environment. We will elevate the whirlwind of enthusiasm born this past year into an even bigger movement.

Our next dream:

To host the "IKIGAI Expo" where all of Japan sheds its "armor of right answers"!

An extraordinary festival where diverse "IKIGAI" from around the world temporarily gather and simply celebrate each other's existence. There, there is no competition for results or roles. Simply being "your authentic self" is welcomed.

Furthermore, we will spread "IKIGAI" throughout society through unconventional approaches, such as collaborative creation of a giant IKIGAI art piece in collaboration with Kids Guernica "Art Piece Japan," and the publication of a practical philosophy book on "living a life that utilizes IKIGAI."

Let's transform "have to" into "want to" together with magic.

We are looking for partners to create this dream together. Media professionals, local governments, and individuals and companies who wish to "live passionately as themselves."

Why not trust your own inner compass instead of answers dictated by someone else?

Let's work together to make the landscape of "work" in Japan more interesting and more human!

▼ Recruiting IKIGAI Partners / Kumalabo Members ▼

IKIGAI Partner details: https://design.ikigai-field.jp/partner.html

Kumalabo details: https://design.ikigai-field.jp/kumalab/

About Japan IKIGAI Design Association

The Japan IKIGAI Design Association was established on September 22, 2025, with the aim of creating a society where life is designed with "IKIGAI." We will promote and support the spread of the globally recognized value of "IKIGAI" in Japan, helping each individual find their own definition using the first-ever "IKIGAI mandara™." We believe that by rooting "IKIGAI" not as something for "special someone" but as an "everyday possibility for everyone" in work and daily life, a bright and vibrant social foundation will be nurtured.

About IKIGAI WORKS Inc.

We founded IKIGAI WORKS Inc. in June 2021 with the passion of "creating a society where everyone can find purpose in work and 'IKIGAI' in life." We aim for a society where everyone feels excitement in life through IKIGAI, believing that by powerfully enjoying life, all of Japan will be energized. We offer services to companies and individuals.

＜Company Profile＞ Company Name: IKIGAI WORKS Inc. Representative: Representative Director Toshikazu Kumakura Established: June 9, 2021 Location: 7509 Nishiide, Oizumi-cho, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture, 409-1501 Japan URL: https://ikigai-works.co.jp/ IKIGAI Hiroba: https://ikigai-media.jp/ Business Activities: AI development, corporate transformation consulting, development of methods for improving "IKIGAI," community management, etc.

"April Dream" is a project by PR TIMES where companies announce their future dreams on April 1st.

We are seriously aiming for the realization of this dream.